Obituaries

From the first member of the congregation to pass away in 1870 to recent deaths, all the obituaries of deceased Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul are accessible and searchable. You can search by name, or use the birth date, death date and location filters.

These are not typical obituaries, in fact in the world of consecrated life we refer to them as necrologies. These biographical sketches are written by the General Secretary of the congregation shortly after the death of each individual sister. The necrologies are historical documents and may contain errors, including variations in spellings and incorrect dates. The necrologies are presented here as they were written.

If you would like more information about a deceased sister please contact the archivist.

Sister Mary of Mercy O’Connor

Sister Mary of Mercy O’Connor

Briefly, but reverently is recorded in the necrologies of the Institute, (March 30) the life, virtues and death of our much-loved and lamented Sister Mary of Mercy, known to the outer world as Johanna O'Connor. Born in Kingston, Feb. 29, 1848 of parents distinguished...

Sister Mary Regina Quinn

Sister Mary Regina Quinn

The subject of this brief biographical sketch, Miss Mary Ellen Quinn, known in religion as Sister Mary Regina, was born in Glengarry, Ont., on Sept. 4, 1867 of very respectable parents and educated in Williamstown under the tutorship of the good Sisters of the...

Sister Mary Beatrice Casey

Sister Mary Beatrice Casey

Picton, Ont., was the birth place of the cherished Sister whose brief memoir we undertake to record for the edification of the members of this Institute, wherein she religiously spent nine years. Born Oct. 17, 1861, of respectable Catholic parents, more pious than...

Sister Mary Bernadette Dougherty

Sister Mary Bernadette Dougherty

Catherine Dougherty, known in the Institute as Sister Mary Bernadette was born in Co. Derry, Ireland, March 18, 1857. The loss of her loved parents at a tender age together with the unfortunate circumstances of being surrounded by Protestant relations, friends of her...

Sister Mary of the Cross Keating

Sister Mary of the Cross Keating

The members of this Institute commemorate today the death of a cherished Sister and a devoted co-labourer in the person of Sister Mary of the Cross, known in the world as Miss Elizabeth Keating. Born in Hastings, Peterboro Co., about the year 1841, of good Christian...

Sister Mary Bernard Fox

Sister Mary Bernard Fox

In the immediate circle of our religious family, while the joyful strains of Easter Alleluias were still sounding, death the conqueror enfolds forever a loved member in the person of Sisters Mary Bernard, whose memory is affectionately and piously recalled annually on...

Sister Mary of Mount Carmel Byrne

Sister Mary of Mount Carmel Byrne

This page of our Necrologies perpetuates the memory of a religious, whose name is intimately united to the history of our Institute. In recalling today this cherished name, Sister Mary of Mount Carmel, our hearts breathe forth feelings of regret equally painful as on...

Sister Mary Alphonsus Ryan

Sister Mary Alphonsus Ryan

We commemorate today the death of our beloved Sister Mary Alphonsus, who departed this life Sept. 5, 1891, at the age of thirty-six years, and the ninth of her religious life. Margaret Ryan, born at Cote St. Louis, Montreal, of highly respectable parents was admitted...

Sister Mary Patrick O’Halloran

Sister Mary Patrick O’Halloran

Alice O’Halloran called in religion, Sister Mary Patrick, was born in Galway, Ireland, of pious and worthy Catholic parents who settled in Holyoke, Mass. about the year 1874. Feeling a strong attraction for the religious life she entered the Providence Novitiate,...

Sister Flora McInnis

Sister Flora McInnis

For the first time since the foundation of our Institute have we to chronicle the death of a Postulant, and the unexpected and sad event on April 26, 1889 closed forever an existence, dear to many hearts, in the person of Miss Flora McInnis, who entered the Novitiate...

Sister Mary Aloysius Swift

Sister Mary Aloysius Swift

On this day we commemorate the death of our beloved and much lamented Sister Mary Aloysius, who departed this life September, 20, 1888, at the early age of thirty-three years and in the seventeenth of her Religious life.  Mary Ann Swift was admitted to the Novitiate...

Sister Mary of Mount Carmel Byrne

Sister Mary Catherine Doyle

It was the will of God to visit our Community with a heavy trial on January 29th, 1887, by calling to join the ranks of the blessed, a fervent and zealous member, in the person of Sister Mary Catherine. Fiat Voluntas Dei !!! Mary Doyle, born in Ireland, immigrated to...

Sister Mary Agnes McCummiskey

Sister Mary Agnes McCummiskey

Catherine McCummiskey born in Kingston, entered the Novitiate August 12, 1873, at the age of seventeen. She was a cousin of Mother Mary John, and like her, came early to serve God in religion. She was duly admitted to the Holy Habit, and made Religious Profession,...

Sister Mary Aloysius Swift

Sister Mary Vincent Stafford

In Mary’s month, 1886, the Angel of Death summoned to a well merited reward our much loved Sister Mary Vincent, in the forty-third year of her age and nineteenth of her religious life. Her family name was Julia Stafford, born at Lanark Ont., of highly respectable...

Sister Mary John O’Donnell

Sister Mary John O’Donnell

On the 26th of August the chronicles record the death of a member of the Institute, whose career though short, deserves more than passing notice, being full in usefulness and unselfish devotedness. Sister M. John, known in the world as Ellen O'Donnell, was born in...

Sister Mary Agnes McCummiskey

Sister Mary Teresa Cleary

On this day we commemorate the happy death of our dear Sister Mary Teresa who departed this life Oct. 12, 1881 after a very short illness, but fortified by the Sacraments and strengthened even in her dying moments by the prayers of holy Church. Mary Cleary, in...

Sister Mary of the Cross Keating

Sister Mary Veronica Austin

Mary Austin was born in Worcester, Mass. July 3, 1852 of respectable, Irish Catholic parents. At fourteen years of age she lost her mother, a loss of which she could scarcely speak without great emotion. Being the eldest of the family the care of a sister and three...

Sister Mary Patrick O’Halloran

Sister Mary Angel Guardian McGowan

Mary McGowan entered the Novitiate at the age of twenty three, and from her admission she was remarkable for a gentleness and amiability of character that endeared her both to Superiors and companions. Her constitution was not strong, and after the taking of the...

Sister Mary Patrick McKinley

Sister Mary Patrick McKinley

Sarah McKinley was born in Kingston, Ont., December 3, 1851, and on the 25th of March 1869, she entered the Providence Novitiate, being then eighteen years of age. Though not of a robust constitution she devoted herself generously to the service of the poor in the...

Sister Mary Patrick O’Halloran

Sister Mary Francis Xavier Byrne

Catherine Byrne, called in religion, Sister Mary Francis Xavier was born in Wicklow County, Ireland and was one of three sisters of the Byrne family, who embraced the religious state in the House of Providence, Kingston. She entered August 3, 1867, the year after...